Muse To My Ears: Rewritten
by Pholefan
Summary: I rewrote "Muse To My Ears" and it focuses on Phoebe and Cole. What was the real reason behind Phoebe's rejection to Cole's marriage proposal? How does Cole feel about her rejection and him being fully human? R E A D to find out!


**P h o l e**

_Muse To My Ears, Kitchen Scene..._

"But for now, I want us to join forces." Phoebe said mischievously, stressing the word "us" and as she got closer to Cole, her chestnut eyes locked with his blue ones, she placed his arms tenderly around her waist and kissed him. He kissed her back and Phoebe ran through his hair with her hands.

Cole was worried. He had lost his powers only two days now and hadn't got used to it yet. How can he accept the fact that he won't be able to protect her and her family anymore? That was his main issue, apart from the emptiness his vanquished half felt. He felt different; weak, powerless and rejected. Phoebe didn't say the magic word that would make him die from joy. All he needed was a simple word, just one little word with three letters. Was it too much to ask?

Once he had his powers and Belthazor was a part of him, he was hurt, heartbroken. But only when his powers were gone and the powerful demon was vanquished by that damn potion, did he realize what pain meant. He felt he was going to die from a serious and untreatable desease. The one that kills from losing your one and true love, your soulmate. He was scared. His heart hurt too much now that he was human and knew that Phoebe didn't want to marry him and spend all of her seconds, hours, days, months and years with him. He prefered to be die than have to live through this pain. She was his whole didn't want to lose her. He had no idea that human emotions hurt that bad. He was half human, but still it was nothing compared to this, now that he was fully human.

Her reaction surprised him. He knew she was surprised in the first place and the way he asked her to marry him was totally unexpected, but he hoped that when she'd realize what he had asked she'd say 'yes'. But... no. She told him, she wasn't ready yet. What does that mean? Cole's first thought was, she didn't love him enough to marry him. But he was sure she loved him, he just knew. The way she looked at him, the way she kissed him, the way she fought for their love...

He sure wanted to have a romantic dinner with her. She even got herself into the kitchen for him! But when he looked at her, her rejection of his proposal came into his mind. He wanted to forget it and focus on demons. When she told him she sent everyone away to celebrate, he wished it was about her having reconsidered and decided to make him the happiest man in the whole world by marrying him. But, no she wanted to celebrate his loss. The sudden joy and hope his heart felt was taken away in a second. He wanted to mourn his "no more demon half". And what did she meant by "no more obstacles for our relationship"? She didn't want to take their relationship to the next level, but she still wanted to be with him. Cole was confused as hell. He just had to find a way out of this pain. That's why he wanted to talk about demons and warlocks and the Source and try to make her see their problem at hand here. Not the real problem, the one he couldn't solve, because she wouldn't help him solve it, but still a serious problem, which threatened her and her sisters. She hurt him bad, but if anything ever happened to her he would be devastated.

But when she started kissing his neck, he was hypnotized. He was sure she was a witch, he had fallen under her spell, a spell he never wished to be reversed. She was the best thing that ever happened to him and for that he was thankful. He never believed anyone would have that much of an effect on him. But she did, she had managed to turn him from a ruthless demon into a gentle, caring and loving person. It was inconceivable!

Nevertheless, he pulled himself together and managed to stop her. She wanted to please him, to show him how much she loved him, but he guessed not enough to want to spend the rest of her life with him. He continued his rant about demons in order not to confont her. If he did, then he'd start yelling and they'd fight. He didn't want that, because no matter how much she hurt him, he didn't want to cause her any harm physically or emotionally.

She promised him they'd talk first thing in the morning, but for now she had other plans in mind. He wanted her, but his heart was in too much pain. When she kissed him seductively, he couldn't resist her. He could never resist her and now he was only a human being for God's sake! His demon half was powerful and sometimes helped him resist her and keep himself together. Sometimes. But now he couldn't. He was a mere mortal and she was a Goddess with powers that only affected him and he couldn't do anything to avoid them. So he got lost into her kiss and kissed her more passionately. His mind stopped working for some minutes, enjoying her sweet and soft lips on his. Her scent intoxicated him. Her powers were on full effect...

He caressed her bare back with one hand and with the other brought her even closer to him. He kissed her like there was no tomorrow. Her soft moans told him she was enjoying his kisses and after a few minutes of making out he lifted her dress a bit to grab her legs and put them around his waist. Like the time she burst into his old apartment and like a hurricane jumped on his embrace and seduced him. It was the first time he realized he loved her and admitted it to himself.

**~`Flashback`~**

_Cole was packing his suitcase. His job was almost done, he thought. The Charmed Ones were going to be dead soon. It was only a matter of time. Suddenly he heard a knock on the door and he answered it._

_"Phoebe, what are you doing here?" Cole smiled seeing Phoebe, not expecting her._

_"I, um, I came to tell you something. Actually..." _

_She said and kissed him passionately to show him her point._

_"I was always better at show than tell." Phoebe admitted jokingly._

_They continued kissing. Cole picked her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist. They leaned against the door kissing._

_"You have no idea what you're getting yourself into." Cole told her breathless._

_"Neither do you." Phoebe replied._

**~'End of Flashback`~**

Phoebe put her arms around his neck and held him tightly. He was finally letting go and focusing on her. He placed her carefully but still with force on the counter next to them and kept kissing her furiously. He couldn't wait any longer he wanted and needed to be inside of her. Suddenly he pulled away from her and she almost fell forward, "Damn it!" Cole screamed trying to catch his breath.

"What happened?" Phoebe asked him worried and confused, breathing heavily herself.

"Nothing." Cole said in a lower tone and shook his head and hands, but Phoebe didn't buy it. His eyes were showing her otherwise. He looked mad, sad and confused. Why would he do that while kissing her? She got off the counter and got closer to him. She reached for his cheek, but he pulled away.

"What's wrong baby?" Phoebe asked looking sad herself.

"I tried, I tried to shimmer us in the bedroom." Cole said in a low voice, not looking at her.

"Oh. Baby, I'm sorry," Phoebe told him and grabbed his face forcing him to look at her, "but everything's going to be ok. I am here."

She hugged him and Cole closed his eyes.

"It's not." Cole said.

"Cole, we are together in this. I told you. You'll figure this out," Phoebe pulled away to look at him, "along with me. You won't deal with this alone."

"No! It won't be ok! I won't be ok! You, won't be ok! We won't be ok!" Cole yelled at her.

Phoebe got startled.

"Why?" Phoebe asked him, tears threatening to come out.

"Because! I won't be able to protect you if any demons attack or anything happens. I won't be able to go to the Underworld and gather information. I won't be able to help you and your sisters to fight against The Source." Cole yelled and threw a plate on the floor with his hand and Phoebe jumped a little. "I won't be able to take you to France in less than 5 minutes again. I won't be able to spoil you with gifts from around the world." Cole stopped, tears falling from his eyes, he couldn't keep them in any longer. He had to let it all out and he did. He broke. In front of her. The one thing he tried not to do, but he did. His human emotions drained him. He hated this feeling. Phoebe also broke into tears and hugged him. Cole cried on her shoulder for some minutes.

Phoebe was crying herself silently. She was mad with herself. She should have never made that potion, even though he had asked her for it.

**~`Flashback`~**

_"I was starting to worry that you weren't gonna make it back in time for my graduation."_

_"Wouldn't miss that for the world, or the underworld."_

_"It's really not safe for you here, isn't it?"_

_"Uh, no, yeah, it is. I mean, at least I think so."_

_"Then what's wrong?"_

_"The truth is I don't know how much longer I can keep doing this."_

_"Doing what?"_

_"You know, the running, and the hiding. Even if I stop, where do I go? I'm still half human, but I can't go back. On the other hand there's really no place for me in your world either."_

_"What are you saying?"_

_"I'm just saying it's complicated. But it doesn't have to be, not with magic on our side. I've been thinking, isn't there some kind of spell or something in the Book of Shadows, you could strip my powers?"_

_"Wait, you wanna give up your powers?"_

_"If I don't have them, I can't be tempted to use them, I could just stay good..."_

_Phoebe grabbed him from his shirt and forced him to look at her._

_"You would do that for me?"_

**~'End of Flashback`~**

She shouldn't have kept it and she shouldn't have listened to him and take it in her purse either that day...

**~`Flashback`~**

_"Don't tell me you're scared of me."_

_"No, don't be ridiculous."_

_"That's good. Because I think Emma's right. I am the one who killed her fiancé, this is mine. I don't even remember doing it. I don't even remember what he looked like. It didn't matter what they looked like, it only mattered that I did what I was told. He was a witch, the Source viewed him as a threat."_

_"Shh... you don't have to explain yourself to me."_

_"Yes I do."_

_"No, you don't. I know who you were, who you used to be. And that's not the person you are anymore."_

_"I know. Belthazor still exists inside of me, that hasn't changed, nor does it change what I've done."_

_"But just think of all the good you've done since then."_

_"Hm. Doesn't balance out, doesn't even come close. And now the very thing I've tried so hard not to be is the very thing that I might have to become."_

_"What do you mean?"_

_"Sikes has done a good job of emulating me, emulating Belthazor, which means if the potion doesn't work. the only way to destroy him is for me to turn into Belthazor."_

_"Yeah, but afterwards you'll turn back into Cole."_

_"I may not be able to. To stop him I'll have to embrace my demonic self completely. There may be no coming back from that."_

_"Well, then we'll just have to make sure that potion works very well. Won't we? I'll be back."_

_Phoebe grabs her purse._

_"Where are you going?"_

_"To find Emma. Try to explain."_

_"It won't make any difference."_

_"Well, it will if I can keep her out of the craziness, keep her from getting hurt."_

_"I'm more concerned of keeping you out of the craziness, keep you from getting hurt. You still have some of that Belthazor vanquishing potion left, don't you?"_

_"Yes, but..."_

_"Get it, just in case. It might be the only way to stop me."_

_Cole left the room and Phoebe opened her drawer and pulled out a potion. The potion. Not the one to vanquish Cole/Belthazor, but the one to strip Cole's/Belthazor's powers. She put it in her purse and left._

**~`End of Flashback`~**

It was all her fault, she blamed herself for his pain. She realized he didn't even mention anything about him, he was only worried about her, he wanted to keep her safe and happy. She hurt him bad, she was the reason he felt like this and she couldn't help him. She couldn't bring his powers back and make him whole again. She thought and hoped that she could replace his lost half...

He suddenly pulled back and looked into her teary eyes. He wiped a few tears with his thumb and Phoebe sobbed.

"I'm sorry." she whispered.

"For what?" he asked confused.

"It's all my fault." He knew she was right and he hated himself for thinking so, but he couldn't help it. It was her fault, but not because he lost his powers, but beacuse of not accepting his marriage proposal. It was not fair, but that's how he felt and he couldn't change that. It felt like she stabbed him in his heart. His heart was hers, he was unconditionally in love with her and she didn't want to grow old with him. Now that he was human he didn't even know what he'd do if they broke up. He'd probably kill himself, that was the only way out of the misery he'd live in without Phoebe.

"Shhh..." Cole tried to calm her down and brushed his thumb with her lips.

"Cole, we'll be ok." Phoebe whispered trying to reassure him and to convince herself.

"How can you be so sure?" Cole asked her.

"Because I love you." Phoebe told him.

"You do?" Cole asked her. He needed to know if she meant it. He needed to know how much she loved him. He needed to know if she meant eternal love or just a crush. He knew it wasn't just a crush, but he needed to know her true feelings. He needed reassurance.

"Of course I do." Phoebe told him surprised, her heart was breaking looking at him. Didn't he know her world was revolving around him?

"Then why don't you want to marry me, Phoebe?"

"You don't, you don't understand."

"Then, make me understand. Explain this to me, cause I have gone this through my head one million times, but I just can't understand. Maybe I'm stupid. I don't know. Just tell me, why?" Cole said exasparated.

"Cole, I love you. I do love you. I have never. Ever, loved anyone like I love you. We have been through so much together and you still have doubts that I love you. This

hurts me in more ways than you think. I do want to be with you. I don't want us to be apart. Ever. I can't imagine my life without you and it hurts me that I hurt you. But,

marriage is another whole thing all together. My mom and my dad were married and look where they ended up. My mom had an affair with her Whitelighter, they got

divorced and my dad left us. Then she died. My grandma was married four times and she got divorced each time. She tried to make it work, but she never was able to. I

want to be with you, but I'm afraid of marrying you. What if we end up like them? What if it ruins everything we have now? I don't want to lose you. That's what scares

me. I don't want to lose you, Cole. Do you understand now?" Phoebe opened her heart and let every thought and feeling that tortured her her whole life to him. Only him.

He had never confessed any of that to anyone before. But, he was her man, her love, her soulmate, the one person she could tell everything and she needed to reassure

him by telling him her true feelings. She didn't really know how much her family had affected her in the marriage issue until this very moment.

Cole's doubts clouding his mind were vanished and now he did. He understood. It wasn't him. It was her. Like she told him two nights ago, when he had proposed to her. He felt relieved and his heart didn't feel heavy anymore. He now knew she loved him as much as he loved her. How could he think otherwise? He was speechless listening to her and took him a moment to realize what she had just told him. He snapped out of it and took her in his arms. He gave her the most passionate and loving kiss they had ever shared if that was possible. She gasped and kissed him back crying. He felt like the happiest man in the whole universe; she does love him and wants to spend the rest of her life with him. He wanted to take her someplace, where they would be just the two of them, where he could love her forever and offer her everything he had and hadn't, where no demons, no Source, no being good or evil could hurt her.

He ended the kiss to look at her. Her eyes were closed and the tears had stopped falling. His kiss calmed her down and told her that he finally understood that she, rejected his marriage proposal, and not him, and that he knew she would do anything to stay with him forever.

She slowly opened her eyes to look at him.

"I love you too." Cole told her and wiped the remaining tears from her face and Phoebe smiled slightly.

"I'm sorry I doubted you." He whispered to her, "Thank you for letting me in."

"You won't leave me, will you?" Phoebe asked him.

"What? No." Cole shook his head.

"Good." Phoebe smiled again.

"I'll never leave you baby." Cole whispered to her, caressing her face.

"Even if I'm not into marriage?" Phoebe whispered back.

"I don't care about that anymore."

"But..."

"No, buts. I only want you, in any way possible. Nothing else."

"I love you Cole." Phoebe repeated.

"I love you." Cole told her and kissed her. Softly this time.

He took her left hand and led her upstairs.

"Oh and Cole?"

"Yeah?"

"We can still travel. By plane, or Leo can always orb us." Phoebe told him and he giggled.

"Yeah." Cole smiled to her and her heart smiled back.

They were going to be all right. Love maybe couldn't conquer everything. But their love would and they knew it. They **were** meant to be.

**~'T H E E N D'~**

_**C/P-C/P-C/P-C/P-C/P-C/P-C/P-C/P-C/P-C/P-C/P-C/P-C/P-C/P-C/P-C/P-C/P-C/P-C/P-C/P-C/P-C/P-C/P-C/P**_

I was watching "Muse To My Ears" and I came up with this story.

Don't you just love happy endings? Let me know what you think by clicking on the **review** button! xXx


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